Back in 2009, Walmart unveiled Straight Talk. It was a prepaid carrier powered by TracFone. And within the coming months, Walmart plans to do it again with “U Prepaid.” It’ll be a combination of the Alltel and US Cellular networks, and they plan to offer simple and easy to understand prepaid plans to customers.

However, this service won’t be available to everyone. It’ll be regional, as Walmart is rolling it out to 500 of its locations in 18 states. Another downside is the selection of phones. There will be one Android phone, the Samsung Repp, and the rest will be various feature phones. Seems the network will have a focus on the older demographic.

Though pricing plans have not yet been disclosed, the service should launch next month, so the wait for more information shouldn’t be too much longer. Are any of you interested in such a service, if it is available in your area? Join the discussion in the comments!

Press release:

CHICAGO AND LITTLE ROCK (April 30, 2012) – U.S. Cellular (NYSE: USM) and Alltel Wireless have joined together to begin offering U Prepaid, a no contract wireless service, in select Walmart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) in local communities across 18 states beginning in May. The alliance, the first of its kind in the industry, offers customers flexible payment options without signing a contract.
“Teaming with Alltel to gain distribution in Walmart gives us another opportunity to be where our customers want to shop and to offer more customers a prepaid service that helps them control their monthly budgets,” said Carter S. Elenz, executive vice president of sales and customer service for U.S. Cellular. ”U Prepaid customers with U.S. Cellular will be backed by our high-speed network, which has the highest call quality and network satisfaction of any national carrier.”
The new alliance provides Walmart customers simplified, easy-to-understand service plan choices. Depending on where customers live, the U Prepaid service will run on either U.S. Cellular’s high-speed national network or Alltel’s advanced coast-to-coast network.
“Alltel is proud to bring the strength and equity of our U Prepaid brand to U.S. Cellular to create this unique alliance,” said Lesa Handly, chief marketing officer for Alltel Wireless. “Together, we can leverage our position as the “local” wireless carrier offering a hometown alternative in the communities we serve.”
Customers will be able to select one of four U Prepaid devices that best meets their personal needs. The Android-powered Samsung Repp is a touchscreen smartphone for customers who want to stay productive while on the go. The LG Attune/LG Exchange and LG Saber make staying connected to friends and family easy with full QWERTY keyboards, and the Samsung Chrono provides the features and functionality for customers who prefer to use their phone for calling and texting.
Customers will be able to choose from a variety of value-packed plans to match how they use their phones. There are multiple data options and plans that include unlimited talk and texting. All of the plans are nationwide with no roaming charges.

About Dima Aryeh

Dima Aryeh is a Russian obsessed with all things tech. He does photography, is an avid phone modder (who uses an AT&T Galaxy Note II), and a heavy gamer (both PC and 360). He is also an avid fan of music, especially power metal. Follow him on Twitter @Haloruler64!

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